Excerpts from "Refresh" by Microsoft CEO Nadella

I remember that I started to come into contact with computers in 1999, from MSDOS to WIN3.1, WIN3.2, WIN95, and then connected to the Internet world. For me, who was still in middle school, it seemed like a whole new world had opened up. The door to the unknown world is truly a magical experience. The name Microsoft has always been with us.

I still remember a joke that circulated twenty years ago: Microsoft received a complaint that the computer could not copy content. The operator asked how to operate it. The complainant said: I am on the computer in the office. Press Ctrl C, then press Ctrl V on your home computer...

The joke at that time is no longer funny now, but has become a natural requirement. Times have changed, and social progress driven by technology is reshaping our understanding and demands for the world, and the underlying logic is undergoing profound changes.

The following are excerpts from the book "Refresh" that touched me:

1. What moves is not the equipment or the technology, but yourself.

If Microsoft disappears, we must understand what the world will lose. What makes us different?

We want to imagine a world that values ??the flow of human experiences across devices. In such a world, the cloud makes this mobility possible and generates a new generation of intelligent experiences. What do you think moves? It’s not the equipment, it’s not the technology that moves, it’s you.

We need to evolve and no longer be limited to developing personal productivity tools; we will start designing intelligent architectures for computing based on the four principles of collaboration, mobility, intelligence and trust.

1) People still do important work individually, but collaboration is the new normal, so we build tools that empower teams.

2) We aspire to help everyone become more productive, no matter where they are or what device they use. Everything, including data, applications and settings, must be able to move between different computing experiences.

3) Intelligence is a magical force multiplier. To succeed in the era of data explosion, people need analytical tools, services and intelligent assistants that leverage intelligence to help them manage their most scarce resource: time.

4) Trust is the cornerstone of everything we build. That’s why we invest heavily in security and compliance, making us the industry standard.

2. Simple things are the most powerful, but persuasion requires a long process.

I spoke directly with hundreds of employees from all levels and departments of the company. Listening is the most important thing I do every day because it sets me up for leadership later on.

We defined our mission, worldview, vision and culture in one page. Whenever we had the urge to revise, we were reminded that “consistency beats perfection”.

In the years before I became CEO, our management team spent too much time explaining this massive company and its strategy. We need a kind of political consciousness. The simple framework we established helps people implement the company's philosophy.

3. Empathy comes from the training given by life and from the love of life; only by facing up to common difficulties can people develop universal empathy.

Due to Zain’s severe cerebral palsy, he will need a wheelchair in the future and will rely on us to live. I was devastated. But I am even more sad why this happened to my wife and me. Fortunately, my wife helped me realize that the point was not about what hit me, but about deeply understanding what Zain was going through, empathizing with his pain and situation, and embracing our responsibilities as parents.

I realized that only by experiencing the ups and downs of life can we develop empathy; if we want to avoid suffering, or suffer less, we must accept impermanence. I remember clearly how troubled I was by Zain’s “never getting better” early on. However, things are always changing. If you can deeply appreciate impermanence, you will gain more peace and you will not react too strongly to the ups and downs in life.

And only then can you develop deep empathy and compassion for those around you.

Personally, the reason why I am who I am today is inseparable from my parents in India and my family in Seattle. Their language, customs and mentality have influenced me, And continues to guide me.

(As for the situation faced by the Nadella family, I believe it is a huge challenge for anyone and requires great courage to face it. This experience is moving to read, Reminds me of that sentence: Because you understand, you are compassionate)

4. As a leader, your job is to find rose petals in the shit pile.

I want these people to stop seeing everything as hard; to start seeing things as great from now on, and help others develop that perspective. Constraints are real and will always be with us, but leaders are champions of overcoming them. What they want to do is make things happen.

First, send a clear message to those responsible. This is one of the most fundamental things leaders do every day, every minute. I don’t want to hear anyone say who is the smartest person in the room. What I want to hear is that they use their wisdom to build deep knowledge within the team and determine a course of action.

Second, leaders need to generate energy, not just within their own teams, but throughout the company. It’s not enough to focus all your efforts on your own department. Leaders inspire optimism, creativity, shared commitment, and growth in good times and bad. They create an environment where everyone can reach their highest potential. The organizations and teams they have built are improving every day.

Third, find ways to succeed and make things happen. This means driving people to engage in innovative work they enjoy and aspire to do; finding a balance between long-term success and short-term wins; and looking beyond boundaries and thinking globally when seeking solutions.